Semiconductor devices are subject to many competing design goals. When considering resin encapsulated semiconductor devices in terms of mounting approaches, packaged devices may be roughly classified into the pin insertion type and the surface mount type. Since it is very often desirable to minimize the profile of electronic apparatus, surface mount semiconductor devices are often preferred, such as for example, ball grid array (BGA) devices. BGAs are commonly used in applications requiring high-density surface-mounted devices. BGAs known in the arts are generally assembled by affixing an integrated circuit (IC) device to a printed circuit board (PCB). The BGA and PCB have corresponding contact points, or bond pads. The components are aligned, typically using sophisticated optical aligning tools, and solder balls pre-positioned at the contact points are reflowed. Obtaining the precise alignment necessary to properly position the corresponding contact points on the BGA and PCB presents a serious challenge. When completed, the BGA/PCB assembly solder joints are typically “blind,” that is, they are not readily accessible for visual inspection. Due to the blind solder joints, trouble-shooting an assembly often requires specialized tools such as x-ray equipment or fiber-optic equipped “BGA microscopes”. Due to the complexity of the devices, it is sometimes desirable to remove a BGA device from a PCB for independent testing or replacement. Removal and replacement are made difficult by the same type alignment and soldering constraints as encountered in assembly.
Due to these and other problems, improved alignment techniques, accessibility, replaceability, and increasingly robust and durable devices are desirable in the arts.